


Chesapeake Ripper's Monster

by Ayame



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Dark Will Graham, First Kiss, Hannibal Lecter is a Cannibal, Hannidigo, Is Will Graham not entirely human himself?, M/M, Manipulations, Mentions of Murder, Mirror Sex, Questionable Psychiatry, RP, RP Turned Fic, Sexual Themes, Sleep Paralysis, Wendigo!Hannibal - Freeform, Will Graham Finds Out, Will Graham is not a cinnamon roll, ambiguous timeline, antler!kink, demonic wendigo kink, handjob, horror themes, light blood play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:53:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26533171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ayame/pseuds/Ayame
Summary: Will Graham has experienced sleep paralysis before, but never like this. Not only has he been seeing Garrett Jacob Hobbs' apparition, but he is also seeing something else, something darker, standing there in the corner watching him sleep. Will turns to Dr. Hannibal Lecter for help but the therapy he receives isn't what he had been expecting. Hannibal takes a different approach in helping Will come to terms with what he is seeing. That this, monster, is nothing more than a hallucination born from an overworked mind. However, Hannibal has been hiding a dark secret not only from Will, but from his fellow acquaintances, an even darker secret than that of him being the Chesapeake Ripper. What will Will Graham do when faced with the reality of what's in front of him?
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 2
Kudos: 112





	Chesapeake Ripper's Monster

**Author's Note:**

> Me and asthetically_adorable538 (here on AO3) started RPing Hannibal to help get me (who hasn't written in 8 years) back into the flow of writing, and her to find her Will Graham voice. We didn't intend to really publish anything but cranked this beast of a fic out in two days and both decided we loved it so here is our first contribution to the Hannibal fandom! ^.^
> 
> I took some liberties with Wendigo lore, particularly the appearance of it's eyes and how it manifests. If we continue in this verse I'll hammer down the lore more but for now I was happy with it.  
> We love any and all kinds of feedback! That shit's like crack

**Chesapeake Ripper's Monster**

"I've been experiencing an uptick in sleep paralysis late at night." Will admitted after a moment, his fingers drumming idly on the arm of the chair he was seated in. He briefly looked across the way at Hannibal, his unofficial therapist. Sleep Paralysis wasn't ever normally something that would concern him, as it hadn't happened since he was a teen and back then he had had it constantly. Now though, there was something different about it... "Ever since Garrett Jacob Hobbs... It's unsettling...It’s..." He paused and ran a hand over his face, exhausted. 

He was seeing things with these episodes; figures, creatures, things he hadn't seen when he was younger. He thought about the previous night, the pressure pinning him to the bed, the ringing in his ears. He felt awake; wide awake but he couldn't move his body. He saw the figure in a dark corner of the living room where he slept on the pull-out bed, watching him each night it happened. The other night, however, he could recall it taking a few steps towards him, the ringing piercing in his ears the closer it got. Though he was jolted awake by the sound of his dogs barking at the front door. 

"I'm seeing things with these ah... Episodes." He further admitted.

"Sleep paralysis was once thought to be attributed to an evil presence that has attached itself to its sufferer and stalks them in the night. Many paintings from the Italian Renaissance depict an immobile victim with eyes open in terror as a shadowy demonic figure looms over them." Hannibal had a certain fondness for the human depictions of things that went bump in the night. "However, current medical knowledge tells us that stress and mental strain are more often the cause, particularly from those with a history of suffering from narcolepsy or insomnia."

Hannibal shifted slightly forward in his chair and uncrossed his leg, keeping his body language open and warm. "Tell me Will, what do you see in these episodes?"

Will huffed out a short laugh as he removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was aware of the tales people used to believe about sleep paralysis as he had researched it years ago. Being of a logical and sound mind - more or less at this point - Will understood the science behind the phenomenon despite recent accounts from many people online who witnessed strange things. He believed it to be a trick of the mind. He was certain it was, even now. But he still couldn't shake it.

“You wouldn't believe me if I told you...It is strange though. My dogs… They seem different now too. Aware." His brows furrowed in thought a moment, thinking back to the last he saw of the creature. "They woke me up the other night, determined to get at whatever it was that was outside. There wasn't anything, not anything I could see anyway..." Will sighed and relaxed in his seat, glancing briefly around him, gathering his thoughts before he finally admitted what he had seen.

"It's tall. Your height maybe… But it's much taller with the uh…antlers on its head. It's dark, blends in with the shadows too easily. Like... Like he's made up of those shadows. He just watches me. Except the that night. He came closer, which is something he hasn't yet done before.” He sighed and shook his head. It sounded even more ridiculous when spoken aloud.

Hannibal smiled briefly before smothering it with his usual clinical detachment. The step forward had not been entirely intentional, neither was alerting the dogs to his presence, but the careless attention he brought to himself seemed to be the deciding factor for Will to finally talk about it openly in therapy. "You may be surprised by what I would believe." Will's description of him was pleasing. He hadn't had the chance to be described by many, since he wasn’t usually one to play with his food, but Will was different. Being as old as Hannibal was, it made for meeting a lot of boring humans; one’s incapable of ever understanding what he was, let alone who he was. Will had the potential to become interesting.

"The mind can conjure up wild and unsettling things as easily as it can remember a recipe given the right pressures. Did you feel fear when you saw this antlered man? Or perhaps dread? Did he have the face of a predator?"

"I hope you're not telling me you believe in the supernatural, are you, Dr. Lecter?" Will grinned at the thought. Hannibal Lecter didn't seem the type to believe in such tales, just as Will never considered himself a believer either. He was a skeptic, a man who saw logic and Hannibal seemed to be cut from the same cloth. Then again, his life wasn't what you would call normal right now given the shit Jack Crawford has forced upon him.

Hell, He had very recently just killed a man in cold blood and even though it was the ugliest thing in the world, a part of him enjoyed it.

He thought about Hannibal’s question a moment. "At first I felt fear. Dread. When I began experiencing the sleep paralysis a few weeks ago I felt the same helpless fear I used to feel when I was younger. Seeing him standing there the first few times shook me. I'd never seen such a thing.. He was very imposing…Threatening almost. I’ve no doubt that whatever, or whoever he is, he is a killer.” He saw it in his eyes, the piercing red gaze that bore into him each episode. "But now I'm curious. About what he wants, why he's visiting me. The not knowing is unsettling."

"Curiosity kills the proverbial cat as they say. You must be careful Will; your imagination is capable of great things but diving deeper into this delusion could put more strain on your already stressed mind." Hannibal lightly bit his top lip in thought. He had already pushed Will towards mental illness being the cause of his hallucinations, his late-night appearances would be easy to manipulate into the same conclusion. "When you were haunted as a young boy, tell me, how did you make the helpless feeling go away?"

Will sighed and gazed up at the books lining the walls on the upper floor. He stood then, the itch to be active, to move around pushing him to his feet. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets and upon standing he noticed the stag statue on the side table. He walked over to it quietly, eyes trained and observant. He reached out to touch the antlers on the animal’s head. 

The creature of night's past had massive antlers. He'd be lying if he denied the part of him that wanted to reach out and touch, to see if what he was seeing was real. To understand it.

"I fought it. I grew tired of lying there, motionless, the dread filling my belly." His fingers stroked over the antlers one last time before he turned around to face Hannibal. "That first punch, that first concerted effort to fight off the dreaded weight that pinned me was exhilarating...Once I started, I couldn't stop." Much like when he shot that first bullet into Garrett Jacob Hobbs. He couldn't stop. Nine more bullets had been emptied into the man.

Will’s sudden departure and immediate fascination with the stag statue caught Hannibal's interest. He wondered how many connections Will's subconscious was making even if he himself was unaware of it. When Will caressed the antlers with such reverence and wonder, the action almost caused him to miss the words being spoken. "If what you are seeing were real, I would not suggest a punch to be your first instinct of defense." Hannibal smirked to himself, amused. "But Will, it is not real. You must come to accept that these paralysis episodes are leaving you severely sleep deprived and what you are seeing is nothing more than a delusion of an overworked mind. Your dogs could have been alerted by nothing more sinister then a squirrel.”

Hannibal’s response made Will laugh. No, it certainly wouldn't be the greatest of ideas being that the creature appeared capable of causing a great deal of harm.

The sudden bit of defensiveness that filled him a moment later though was a surprise. To be on the opposite end, a near believer in what he has seen was unsettling enough, but to have someone doubt you, to give you logical reasons to why something may be happening, well, it made him defensive despite his own better judgment. Is this what it felt like to no longer be a skeptic? Well... Not entirely. He was still very much a skeptic. Which is why he was here, telling Hannibal in the hopes he could help him. 

"It feels real, beyond real." His hands clenched into fists within his pockets. He looked away and took in a deep breath to reign himself in. "What do you suggest I do the next time I see him? Lie there and wait?"

"If this is the price you pay for your unique imagination, why not turn that tool against itself?" Hannibal stood from his chair and approached Will whose eyes were striking in their defiance. " During the Dark Ages, when many books and places of worship were burnt to the ground; ancient scholars were able to preserve an astounding amount of information through a mnemonic memory system. They could perfectly reconstruct text and reimagin works of art, many proclaimed to be able to walk the halls of destroyed churches in their mind at their convenience. It simply relies only on one’s ability to imagine it so. I think you would have an easier time than most creating one of these memory palaces." Hannibal didn’t mention his own, well established mind palace, or how many of his rooms already featured Will.

"When you see this figure next, I would suggest you close your eyes, remove your consciousness from the equation. Imagine you are standing in a stream, fishing and when the dread fades, come back to the present and there will be no monster."

Will watched Hannibal closely as he approached him in slow, even steps. It was as though he were stalking Will in this moment or at least that's what it had felt like. Perhaps he was just projecting, imagining that Hannibal was stalking towards him. The thought had his heart pounding in his chest as he listened to Hannibal’s explanation of the ancient technique. He focused on the little history lesson to calm his traitorous heart and nodded when it was suggested that he give it a try. 

His fists unclenched in his pockets. "Okay." He replied, uncertain if such a method would even be successful. "You must forgive me if I don't really believe it'll work. But, for the sake of trying, I will give it a shot. Thank you, Dr. Lecter."

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

It had been a few days since his last session with Dr. Lecter and Will, surprisingly, hadn't experienced any sort of sleep paralysis or visions of a strange antlered man in his living room. He went about his normal routine of giving lectures at Quantico and Consulting with the FBI on the ripper case, which was still giving him a shit ton of grief. He still saw the apparition of Garrett Jacob Hobbs whenever things got to be too much, when another body was found bloodied and strung up on display. Will would fall further down the rabbit hole Jack Crawford lead him down. 

But no antlered man. No dark shape in the corner of the room watching him sleep, no pressing force pinning him to the bed. Will would be quite the liar if he said he was glad for the lack of visitation. It was the complete opposite actually. A dark part of him rooted deeply within his psyche wanted to see the monster again, that curiosity seemingly endless. So, to say the disappointment he felt was great was an understatement. 

Until nearly a week had passed.

He had gone to bed that night at nearly 12am. He was four whiskeys in and neck deep in class papers that needed to be graded. The words on the pages were beginning to blur together until he could no longer concentrate on grading, much less his own erratic thoughts. 

Sleep claimed him as soon as his head hit the pillow. He wasn't sure when it happened that night, but the ringing in his ears had returned, the heavy pressure of the room closed in on him and pinned him once more. He had groaned in frustration as he tried to move but to no avail. He opened his eyes in the hopes that he was simply dreaming and that by opening them he'd be able to move. But it had always proved to be a failed attempt.

But there he was, again. 

Standing there in the dark corner was the creature with the antlers he wanted to touch. The darkness surrounding the figure was thick and impenetrable. His heart pounded in his chest, that jolt of fear at the first sighting in a week coursed through him like an electric shock. He tried to reach out against his better judgment, his mind’s eye beckoning the man for assistance before he remembered Hannibal’s suggestion.

He hadn't wanted to really lose sight of the antlered creature if he were being completely honest. But he had promised Hannibal that he would try. And so he did. Will closed his eyes and concentrated on calming his breath and his erratic heartbeat. He focused on the stream he often fished in, imagined the little ripples of water flowing past him, the cold temperature of the water, the feel of the fishing rod in his hand and the sun's rays shining down on him. It felt real, this reconstruction, and he didn't want to leave. But for the sake of trying, he gave it another few moments, another few casts of his fishing line until all felt calm and he allowed the world before him fade away to nothingness. 

He opened his eyes again when he was ready.

What a huge mistake that was.

The creature was closer now, suddenly so, it's presence incredibly magnificent and challenging. It reached out with a grin, a barely there grin that was just enough to show Will the sharp teeth it possessed. Will drew in a sharp breath at the sudden nearness and he swung on instinct - despite Hannibal’s warning - and punched the creature square in the chest.

And he felt it. The skin; the inky black skin. It wasn't like human skin in any way, but neither was it of a leathery texture...It was something else entirely. It felt too real and it unnerved Will beyond anything else.

He bolted out of bed, his entire body covered in sweat, his heart hammering in his chest again. He turned on the table lamp beside his bed and looked back to where the creature was, but it was gone.

"Fuck.." He rasped as he ran a hand through his sweat dampened hair. There was no way... It felt real. It couldn't have been a dream…But it couldn't have been real either, right? Perhaps his hallucinations were getting worse... He needed to do something about it, get help. 

He needed Hannibal.

His next appointment wasn't until the following day at the usual time of 7:30pm, but he couldn't wait that long. He needed him now. So, with it decided, Will slipped on his shoes and a jacket, grabbed his keys and rushed out to his car, his pack watching him curiously the entire time. He rushed to Hannibal’s home, not caring how far of a distance or how late at night it was.

He arrived at Hannibal’s just before four in the morning, the house a beacon of hope and security. He parked the car and jogged up the steps and began impatiently knocking on the door.

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

Hannibal supposed he shouldn't have been so taken aback by the sudden blow. Will had, essentially, warned him during their last session. Still, standing in the mirror as he laid his hand onto his bare chest where Will's fist had touched him, he felt revitalized. He couldn't remember a time when a human had ever dared to strike him in his true form. They certainly wouldn’t have lived to tell the tale if they had.

He breathed deep, returning his thoughts to the sight of his brave Will, who had trusted in Hannibal’s guidance enough to close his eyes and enter his mind palace while the very thing he feared loomed so close. The temptation he had to touch the week before had been too great to resist this time in the face of the younger man’s serene expression.

The impatient knocks at his door broke him abruptly from his memory. A quick glance at the clock revealed the abhorrently early hour and he felt deeply annoyed at the person’s interruption and intolerant treatment of his door. After retrieving his robe, and tying it loosely around his waist, he made the trip down the stairs. Hannibal calmed himself by mentally going through recipes that he could use to entertain with his discourteous guest. If the person on the other side of the door had the guts to knock that way on someone’s door after four am, well then, those guts would certainly make for good sausage. Amused by his own joke, he took a quick breath before opening the door to school his expression into something more socially acceptable. The effort was lost as soon as he saw the face on the other side of the door. "Will?"

Relief flooded Will at the sight of Hannibal on the other side of the threshold. A quick once over of his therapist loosely dressed in a robe told Will that he must have been sleeping and he had successfully woken him up. He made it a point not to stare too long at the bit of exposed skin behind Hannibal’s robe. 

"Shit.. Sorry I woke you, Dr. Lecter. I just…I needed to see you. May I come in?" A cold breeze blew by, sending shivers down Will's spine.

Perhaps he should have taken the time to dress properly instead of rushing out in nothing but an old t shirt and pants. The coat was smart, but his sleeping attire was rather thin. He wrapped his arms around himself as he gazed imploringly at Hannibal.

"Of course, my door is always open to friends; even in the night." Hannibal moved aside, fully opening the door for the visibly distressed man. He felt an unexpected amount of pleasure at seeing Will again so soon, and in his own home no less. "As it happens, I was having a bit of a restless night myself, so you did not wake me. And please Will, it's Hannibal."

The corner of Wills mouth lifted into a smile. He still felt a little guilty showing up in the wee hours of the morning, but Hannibal seemed rather pleased to see him regardless. It eased the tension in his shoulders some. He stepped inside and sighed contently. It was warm there in the foyer. Safe.

"Thank you, Hannibal." He shrugged off his coat and hung it up on the coat rack before making his way into the living room. "I uh... I attempted the method of reconstructing my fishing spot tonight." He started, figuring he might as well cut to the chase. He made his way into the living room and sat down on the sofa, his eyes taking in his current surroundings. He's been here a handful of times before, but never at such a late hour.

Watching Will essentially make himself at home within Hannibal's house with such ease, gave him a sense of pleasure whereas with anyone else, he would view it as rude. Perhaps he was forming an attachment that went beyond normal curiosity where Will was concerned. At his age, he had no interest in denial or lying to himself, so he pushed the thought to the back of his mind to analyze later. "It could be a matter of patience and practice; however, I am sorry it did not help you in your hour of need."

He kept his eyes on Will but stepped into his kitchen instead of following Will to the living room. "Water? Tea? I could make coffee if you wish, but I fear that would take away the possibility if getting anymore sleep tonight."

Will huffed a small laugh and nodded his head. "Tea sounds great, thank you." While he waited for Hannibal to come back with a freshly brewed cup of tea, Will sat back in his seat, head tilted backwards, eyes closed. He thought about the creature in the corner of the room, how over time it gradually came closer until it was so close he caught a whiff of its scent...How intoxicating it had been...He thought about how real the monster felt when he punched him, how smooth the skin was, how dark and otherworldly. Sure, it wasn't the pads of his fingers that took in that physical information, but there was contact nonetheless. He wondered where it ran off to…Or, if he had simply hallucinated the whole thing.

Because let's be honest; despite Hannibal’s warnings and words of reason, Will had been a little disappointed he was made to wait nearly a week before seeing the creature again. His curiosity was getting the best of him.

Hannibal set the tea down before sitting in the chair across from the couch. Their positions were both similar and different than when they sat in his office, the biggest difference noticeably being their state of dress. He briefly entertained the idea of excusing himself upstairs to put at least a sweater on under his robe before he decided he would tolerate quite a bit more than an untidy appearance to not let Will out of his sight. 

After a moment of observing, Hannibal wondered what caused the flash of disappointment to cross the empath's features before speaking to get his attention, "Will, I want you to tell me what caused you so much distress that you needed to come to me."

Hannibal’s sudden voice broke him out of his thoughts. He jumped a little, eyes opening to see the other man seated across from him. Had he fallen asleep? Felt like it. Or had he slipped into a brand-new room in this, mind palace, in which the antlered man inhabited?

Will spotted the cup of tea on the coffee table, steaming hot and incredibly inviting. He reached for it and took a sip. He hummed at the burst flavors on his tongue and licked his lips before setting the mug down.

"I lied." He paused for a beat. "Well, sort of. The method you told me about worked. I saw everything in such vivid detail. I felt the rush of the water, I could smell the clean air you can only get out in the wild. It was real, fascinating really. But," He paused again, brows furrowed. "The creature was still there, in the corner. Closer this time; much closer. Hell, I could practically feel it's breath on my skin." A shiver of peculiar awareness rushed through him at the thought and he grabbed his mug and took another sip of the tea.

Hannibal hummed like the thought was troubling to him. "I'm curious, what do you think brings this being to you in the night? Why do you think it came so close this time?"

Will sighed, shrugging slightly. "Curiosity. He’s just as curious about me as I am about him." He paused in his retelling and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Before tonight it's been almost a week since I last saw him. To be honest, Hannibal, I had hoped his reappearance would have been much sooner. He surprised me."

Hannibal wasn’t sure which amazed him more: that Will’s empathy could read him so well even in his true form or the admittance of wanting a reappearance. It had been a conscious decision to delay his next visit to the day before their therapy session. He intended to give Will time to work himself up and question if what he saw was real or not, not to lament the absence. Still, Hannibal had a role to play, "Last week you expressed unease and a desire to stop these episodes, now you mourn their infrequency like it is a bad thing while still coming to me looking like you have seen a ghost." 

Hannibal leaned forward, the robe slipping slightly further open from his neck. He didn’t bother to fix it. "Forgive me Will, but this is not a healthy development."

Will huffed and shook his head. "I am highly inclined to believe you. Which is why I am here." He gazed at Hannibal, taking note of his state of dress, the line of visible skin oddly distracting. He glanced away when he realized he had been staring and rubbed a hand over his neck.

"The antlered man is unsettling, imposing in his stature, threatening. And yet I'm drawn to him." He finished his tea in a couple large gulps. "His sudden nearness startled me, even though moments before I silently begged him to come near." His brows furrowed at the thought. It truly wasn't a healthy development. Any normal, sane person would ward the house against any such evil, call in a priest maybe. "I came here because I _needed_ you...To help ground me. See reason perhaps."

Oh, Hannibal thought, the truths that Will spoke so reverently, he had no idea what his words were doing to him. What an exquisite boy he had found himself, such darkness hiding behind that beautifully anxious and timid exterior; It reached out to his own darkness, begging to be set free. Had he been any less of a self-composed man, he would have growled at the possessiveness those words inspired in him. "I am glad you came to me; I will always be here for you." 

Hannibal contemplated sitting beside Will on the couch but promptly dismissed it. He didn’t want to give Will any reason to hesitate or stop talking. "Why did you want it closer Will? What is it about him that draws you in?"

Before he could even contemplate his answer, he voiced the first thing that came to mind, "The darkness." He licked his lips, silently berating himself for admitting something so dark aloud. But, then again, Hannibal was there for him. There was no judgment here between them. "I saw myself within him, in his eyes. I wanted to touch... To understand..."

That had Hannibal on his feet before he even tried to rein in his desire this time. He strode to stand in front of Will and boldly cupped the side of his prey’s face in the palm of his hand, forcing startled eyes upwards. Looking down upon Will like this, touching him like this, it satisfied a hunger he wasn’t aware had already consumed him.

Perhaps Will had some supernatural power himself, an ability to infest the mind and seduce his target into a net of their own making. Perhaps Hannibal was not the clever one here. It could be that he was the one that was caught and about to be devoured. The thought brought a smirk to his face, "My dear boy, you are truly remarkable."

Will hadn't expected Hannibal to stand to his feet, much less come close and cup the side of his face. His skin heated at the contact and yet he still leaned into the touch before he knew what was really happening, before he could stop himself. He gazed upwards, mustering up as much courage as he could to do so. Blue met crimson and his heart stuttered in his chest. There was something there... Something deep he couldn't quite reach in Hannibal’s eyes. 

He wet his lips briefly, unsure of what to say, what to do. He'd be lying if he said he didn't feel an attraction to the older man, their banter was always riveting, and they understood each other. There was a push and pull between them that was near intoxicating.

Either something was brewing deep beneath the surface or his tea was drugged. "H-Hannibal?"

The look in Will's eyes, so hesitant, so unsure, so hopeful. Yes, Hannibal thought, Will must be some other sort of being, a siren come onto land, or perhaps a descendant of Pan. He did not believe that a mere human could make his ancient dark heart beat like it was now.

Perhaps it was that first touch when Will's fist connected with his true skin. Perhaps it was actually a stinger laced with the most lovely of poisons. If Will was playing the seducer, Hannibal found he did not mind being entrapped by him, "I have walked this plane a long time and have never come across a being like you. Tell me, was I doomed from our first meeting?"

Will lifted a hand to the one that cupped his cheek, holding it, his fingertips curling underneath. He squeezed gently, ensuring that what was happening was real and that he wasn't hallucinating anything. Hannibal’s words had confused him, his brows furrowing as he tried to discern his meaning. He's walked across this plane for a long time..? What could that mean? Will was rooted to the spot, stuck between understanding every word and not knowing a damn thing at all.

"W-were you doomed?" It could honestly go both ways. He felt there was something different with Dr. Lecter this evening, if this gut feeling he had was anything to be believed. Crimson eyes bore into his own, searching, in such an eerily familiar way.

Will wet his lips once more, finding his mouth had gone dry despite the tea he had polished off. His heart still hammered in his chest with anticipation. "I think we were both doomed.” Came his honest answer, his gaze flitting down to Hannibal’s lips for the briefest of moments. 

Hannibal watched Will lick his lips, glance to his own. Such obvious manipulations but he found himself no less enamored by knowing it. Where he stood, he currently towered over Will who was still sitting on the couch; but Hannibal may as well have been kneeling at his feet with how powerless he felt to this beautiful creature in front of him. "So we are."

The hand resting on Will's cheek hardened it's hold like claws while the other struck onto the back of the sofa. He wrenched the other man’s jaw upwards, so that his neck was fully extended. Hannibal stopped centimeters away from touching their lips together, only to watch the reaction his sudden movements inspired. He closed the distance then with the confidence that he knew he wouldn't be rejected.

Wills heart had nearly stopped the closer Hannibal came to him, how their breaths mingled in the small space between them. The firm grip on the side of his face was near bruising, but it didn't matter because Hannibal had finally closed the distance, claiming him. Will let out a noise, a gasp that sounded like a mix between a whimper and a groan. 

_Oh_.. Will hadn't realized how badly he wanted this, wanted Hannibal. There was always an attraction there, but... Fuck. 

There was something about Hannibal that was different, something he couldn't quite pin down. He never would have expected the man to make a move on him…Never even expected him to be a man who desired physical touch on a sexual level. There was a headiness in the air that was... Otherworldly, intoxicating. Was this truly Hannibal, or was it someone else entirely..? Was Will dreaming this whole time and he had actually fallen back asleep in Wolf Trap instead of driving all the way out here? He couldn't be certain. 

He hummed against Hannibal’s lips, his eyes slipping closed as his other hand reached out and he carded his fingers through sandy-grey hair. Screw it, he was powerless to stop any of this anyway. If he were simply dreaming this, then he'd take what he could get before he wakes. And if he wasn't dreaming..? And this was indeed truly happening? Then... Well... Who was he to deny himself this pleasure? 

Breathless, Will pulled back to look into Hannibal’s eyes, searching for answers, but most of the questions he had in his head he couldn't vocalize. All but one. "Who are you?"

The fingers in his hair felt as exquisite as the kiss itself, Hannibal remembered how carefully Will's fingers had caressed the antlers on the elk statue back in his office. He wondered if Will would have shown the same care and focus if he were allowed to see his beast’s antlers, or if he would grab them and push away in a desperate bid to escape. 

"You already know the answer to that question my dear." He brought his mind and vision back to the present and what a lovely sight it was. Hannibal decided breathless was a good look on the younger man.

The endearment had Will flushing, his cheeks warm and pink. His eyes opened and he found he was still in Hannibal’s living room and not his bed. There was still time for them yet. But even so... This went beyond anything his incredibly vivid imagination could construct. Was he really being held within Hannibal’s arms, kissing him? It was all so much. However, if he focused hard enough, tuned into his intuition, he could sense a shift in the air around them that was eerily similar to the shift in the air just before he'd fall into sleep paralysis. There was something not quite right...The things Dr. Lecter said raised his suspicions and he was hesitant to voice any of his assumptions aloud.

An image of the figure in his room flashed through Will’s mind fleetingly. He recalled the smaller details with such vivid accuracy in his mind’s eye; the creatures height from his feet to the crown of his head, to the high cheeks bones, the red eyes... Compared to Hannibal’s subdued crimson pair; both were equally beautiful. Was there a connection there? Or was Will desperately reaching? 

Only one way to find out. 

"I want you to show me…" He pressed his lips against Hannibal’s again, using it as a distraction from the bit of apprehension he felt from the possible answers he may receive. He pressed more firmly against Hannibal, lips parting just a bit in invitation.

Hannibal took the offer immediately, domineering the kiss and slipping his tongue past the seam if the younger man's lips to claim and conquer. Will's easy submission to the treatment only further fueled the fire he felt towards the man. He wanted to leave no room for question that even if Will's plan had been to seduce him all along, Hannibal would make sure they were both caught in this snare together.

When breath forced a separation, instead of pulling back and opening his eyes, Hannibal's teeth latched onto Will's lower lip, taking a moment to suck on it playfully before biting down enough to draw a small amount of blood. The taste was sweeter than any dessert he had indulged in and more fulfilling then any meal he had made. The moan that escaped him was not entirely human. If Will wanted to be shown who he was, he would see. 

Hannibal opened his eyes.

The kiss was broken and Will took that moment to compose himself and breathed deep before opening his eyes. Hannibal’s eyes were much brighter than what they normally were, they almost glowed in their otherworldly brilliance. Which is when it hit him. Will gasped, jolting backwards in shock as he made the connection. They were the same as the creature’s; they were dark, as deep as blood beneath the moonlight. There was no conceivable way..

The tea must have been drugged.. Had to be.. There was no other way to explain it. 

And yet, Will's entire body was alight with heat and fire despite it. His body was singing with energy, with life, with something powerful and uncertain but altogether intoxicating. He swiped his tongue over his lips and tasted the coppery flavor of his own blood. Knowing that Hannibal had previously licked the wound clean and received a sort of nourishment from it had him aching, his cock twitching to life and filling with need.

Will couldn’t possibly look away even as logic screamed that he should. He should be shoving Hannibal away and scrambling to his feet, and yet, he couldn’t find it in himself to do so. He was rooted to the spot, unable to negotiate his escape even if he wanted to. He could feel curiosity getting the better of him.

Will needed more proof.. Hell. He just, _fucking needed._ "Y-you..." Will’s eyes darkened for a second as he continued to connect the dots. "You're going to need to show me a little bit more than that Dr. Lecter." He dared. 

The smile that stretched across Hannibal’s face felt feral at the empath’s words. He ached to give Will everything he could ever want in this moment, but the illusion of humanity, his human veil, was not easily deconstructed. A full and lasting transformation would require the consumption of human meat, even if blood would be enough for pieces to peak through. "That is not possible at the moment, without causing significant harm to you. And while seeing you in pain is a breathtaking sight to behold, I would rather look upon a different expression on your lovely face tonight."

Utilizing his grip on the back of the couch, Hannibal raised the knee opposite to settle beside Will’s hip on the sofa, effectively taking away any means of escape, before he crashed their lips together again with enough force to aggravate the bite wound. The act caused a deliberate gasp from the man below him. He used the opening to take what he wanted from Will's mouth.

"So then.." Will began just before Hannibal claimed him once more, their lips clashing, tongues playing. God, Will could have never anticipated any of this, couldn't even predict his deep, hidden attraction to Hannibal would ever result in anything. He figured it would remain hidden, unacknowledged. A deep secret he would keep to himself. ".. Take from me.." He spoke again when he had a moment. He nipped at Hannibal’s bottom lip playfully. "What you can.." He kissed him again, a level of confidence and power surging through him. He pulled the therapist close, leaning back in his seat. ".. Without causing serious harm." He looked into those red eyes again, begging him to take, daring him to, the darkness within him taking over.

Hannibal hummed contently before whispering, "Now you lie torn here before me, my heart goes starved. For meat and drink, though they are here beside me, by reason of longing for you. There is no nothing worse than this I could suffer." The words of Achilles recalled easily to his lips. The tale he had read a thousand times over and suddenly he felt he never understood more until this moment. 

Hannibal let himself be pulled forward, shifting his weight primarily onto the knee beside Will which brought his hips closer in an effort to not fall into the lap of the man below him. Heat radiated off Will, and he could smell the faint hint of arousal in the air. The hand in Will's hair found its grip again and pulled his head backwards to expose his vulnerable neck. Hannibal's other thumb traced a gentle line across the side of Will's throat, eyes tracked the movement with real hunger. He leaned forward to whisper in the man’s ear, "You don't know what you’re asking for." A dare; followed by a sharp bite to the man's earlobe.

Will held onto Hannibal’s every word, his fingers gripping into the lapels of the open robe. The retelling of Achilles story, or part of it, struck every chord within will; broke down every wall he had constructed in front of him. The bite to his ear had Will groaning, a breath escaping his lips as the walls crumbled to dust. 

"Please.." He choked out. "I want to understand you.." Will knew who Hannibal was, deep down. He could feel the same power he sensed from the antlered man radiating from Hannibal, the power intoxicating beyond any strong drink he'd ever tasted. He should be scared, terrified to be at his mercy, but he wasn't. He was captivated, the darkness and the power this man wielded was all consuming and Will was turned on by the uncertainty of it; the danger. ".. To see you." A hand slipped beneath the robe, touching the skin of the other man's clavicle and smoothing it over his shoulder.

Hannibal growled at the touch and sunk his teeth into the flesh just below Will's ear, high on his neck. The resulting wound would be nearly impossible to cover, a thought that soothed his need to mark and possess at least for the moment. The blood on his tongue was as rich and as addicting as 400-year-old scotch; it took great strength not to loose himself entirely to the temptation to feed and to consume. 

Hannibal took in another inhale of Wills scent before the older man let go to admire the wound. He could feel the blood feeding his darkness and dismantling slightly more of the illusion of humanity but did not care any longer what came through the person suit. "You will."

He did not check his unnatural strength when he pulled Will bodily up from the couch by the younger man's hips. Nor did he smother the groan when he pulled Will's hard body against his own and captured Will's lips with his blood-stained ones.

A whimper left Will once they were connected again, lips moving languidly against each other, hungrily giving and taking. He could taste the blood on Hannibal’s tongue, could feel it staining his lips and his chin. He pressed himself close, reached for the ties of his robes and tugged, wanting to be rid of the layers of clothing between them but hesitating.

The feel of Hannibal’s teeth piercing his flesh had been sharp, painful, and yet his arousal had only grown that more intense. He could feel droplets of blood trickling down his throat still, even after Hannibal had finished sucking the blood from him. 

_Hannibal was feeding_ Will thought. _From me._. the thought was arousing.

Will pulled back for just a moment to gaze at Hannibal, to see the blood staining darkened lips. His gaze roamed over the other’s features, watching with rapt attention as his skin changed, the color darkening in tone. "I can see you now.." Will’s voice wavered for but a moment, uncertainty filling him. Was what he was seeing real? Would he die tonight..? He decided then that he didn't care. He was here, with Hannibal and was at his mercy. He wanted this man and he didn't care in what way he'd have him. 

Hannibal allowed Will to pull back for the moment and gaze upon him. He knew a full transformation would require more than just blood to complete for any significant amount of time, but enough showed through for Hannibal to clearly see the moment of realization in Will's eyes. Hannibal took a step back to finish what the other man had started and let his robe fall to the floor. He cracked his neck from side to side, feeling the darkness curl over his muscles and skin. Even after centuries, it was always an intoxicating sensation. "Now you see the truth of me. What I am. What will you do next, I wonder?"

Shit... The knowledge that Hannibal had been at Wolf Trap mere hours before, watching him and toying with him over the past few weeks was insane. A thrill shot through Will at the realization of it. A part of him was still very much in disbelief over it all... Seeing Hannibal this way, watching his skin darken further as he stood back to crack the bones in his neck.

Will should probably be a lot more concerned here, a lot more frightened. He had described this monster as a killer with zero doubt in his mind. And now he wondered just what kind of killer he was. Any normal person would have feared for their life in this moment, they would have ran for the door by now. It would have been much too late for the average person, but Will was captivated. Tempted.

So Will stalked forward, stepped in close once more and wrapped an arm around Hannibal’s waist, the other coming up to the back of his head, fingers searching out antlers he knew should be there but weren't currently. "And just what exactly are you?" He asked before trailing a few kisses up the side of his neck. He nipped at Hannibal’s ear, rolling the lobe between his teeth in a poor recreation of what Hannibal had just done to him. He pulled back to whisper, his voice heady and deep with arousal. "I want you to take... Show me what you’re capable of. I want you, Hannibal." He rolled his hips forward, his cock, hard and straining against the last remaining barrier of clothing. He ground against Hannibal’s arousal and he bit his lip. It was just enough to take the edge off, and yet it only fueled the fire within. 

"Clever, beautiful boy." Hannibal’s fingers now sharpened beyond human capabilities, dragged down Will's back, cutting effortlessly through his shirt and biting the skin underneath. Not enough to scar or render flesh open, but enough for the path they took to immediately welt up and ooze blood slowly. The torn shirt was easily ripped off the back of the empath, falling to pieces at their feet. "I am ancient. I am commanding. I am the apex predator of your kind."

Hannibal’s claws grabbed onto the other man’s hips, biting into the skin and maneuvering Will's body to fit his purposes as easily as one would move a child's doll. This time he spun Will outwards, face to face with the mirror hanging above the fireplace in his living room. Will’s back flush with Hannibal's front without the layer of clothes between their chests this time. The older man groaned unable to resist pressing his hardness against Will's ass, then buried his face in Will's neck, smelling deeply.

"I could cut you here." One black claw, even sharper than it was a second ago, was drug across Wills abdomen. It traced the shape of a cruel smile, "I could feast upon you, until there was nothing left and still not be satisfied of my taste for you." He opened his red eyes and found Will's in the mirror.

Will allowed himself to be spun around to face the mirror above the fireplace, his back stinging deliciously from the scraping of claws. The words Hannibal spoke settled over him, sinking in. His heart pounded as he gazed at Hannibal’s reflection, watched as a single claw dragged across his abdomen in a demonstration, the anticipation mounting. He wondered if perhaps this would be it, if he had tempted fate one too many times this evening. His guts would spill from his belly and he’d fall to the floor and watch Hannibal feast on him as described.

But something else told him otherwise, if the firm press of Hannibal’s own, large cock against his backside was anything to go by. "Something tells me you wouldn't be able to forgive yourself...Devouring me so quickly." Oh.. How quickly he seemed to process everything that was happening... But Hannibal’s reflection before him was so real. He could touch him, finally, it was no longer fantasy. And he did. A hand reached behind himself and carded his fingers through shortening hair, baring his own neck for Hannibal. "Have another taste." He dared.

"You would be right, my dear. If I were to devour you, I would savor every morsel and not a single piece of you would go to waste." Hannibal leaned into the hand carding though his hair. Then...

The temptation was simply too great. Jagged, now animalistic teeth sunk into the meat of the human's shoulder, right above his collar bone at the same moment that Hannibal's hand shoved into the front of Will's pants. Hot blood filled his mouth the same way hot flesh filled his hand and he felt euphoric for it.

"You'd worship... Ah-!" He cried out, groans of pain and pleasure escaping him as he felt and saw those fangs sink deep into his flesh. ".. Me.." He finished the admission aloud. He felt fingers wrap around him, stroking his flesh to help distract him from any pain. But he didn't care. He wanted all that was offered to him, pain, pleasure, fear, freedom... The threat of possible death, the anticipation and excitement of it. 

The beast within Hannibal took it’s fill, mournful of the wasted blood running down Will's chest that was not caught by his mouth, but Hannibal moaned appreciatively at the aesthetic it created of Will covered in blood. He wondered what it would look like in the moonlight. The image of it was stored immediately in his mind palace.

Hannibal's hand, careful of the claws, both gripped tighter and moved faster. Aware that the mostly dry pull would cause equally more pain and undeniable pleasure. The two mixed so beautifully on Will's face, his own arousal twitched against the human's backside, but he paid no mind to it.

"Fuck.." Will breathed, the blood loss starting to go to his head a little, his legs growing a little weak from the intense mix of pleasure and pain. But he held on, refusing to fall and block out these memories. No. He'd remember this for hell, years to come. "Please... Hannibal." Through lidded eyes, he watched the blood drip down his chest and stomach, the color painting him in a brilliant shade of red. 

The plea, spoken so plaintively, was enough to get the beast within Hannibal to release its jaws from around its prey. But it stayed close and licked the wound making an even bigger mess of the blood. By now Hannibal could see his antlers forming from his skull and branching out as they grew. He had not expected them to be able to grow without actual meat, but he was glad for the sight of them and hoped the other man would be pleased.

Hannibal caught the pad of his thumb over the head of Will's cock, using his pre-cum to finally add some type of lubricant to his too dry strokes. The hand not busy working Will, trailed up to wrap around the human's throat cutting off his already struggling breath and Hannibal smiled, "Look. You wanted so badly to see."

Will let out a sigh when he felt the release of Hannibal’s fangs, watched as those antlers grew high atop his head, fascinated by how they branched out with ease. His hips canted forward at the touch of moisture at the head of his cock, Hannibal working him up nicely, reverently.

A small grin broke out on his face as fingers wrapped around his throat, the claws just barely grazing his skin. Seeing their reflection together in the mirror was profound. Perhaps a reason why he had been so fascinated by the creature was because he saw himself within the shadows he was born from, as he saw himself now. They were one and the same.

Hannibal contained an ancient darkness hidden beneath a fascinating person suit, a darkness that thrived off of human flesh and blood. And there was Will, a human who felt a kinship to this creature, who also buried his own darkness beneath the surface of fragile skin.

"Its.. Mm.. Beautiful." He rasped, his hips rolling forward again.

Beautiful. 

A word Hannibal had never heard before to describe his monster. His hand faltered for a second, caught by surprise at the honesty behind Will's words and the emotions he felt in turn. He had never known devotion, never known selfless sacrifice, but suddenly he knew if this man would choose to pull them to their deaths, he would do nothing to stop it.

With that revelation in his mind Hannibal’s singular thought was that he needed to see every inch of this man in front of him. Claws quicker than humanly possible, tore away and ripped down the remaining clothes on Will's body until he stood fully naked, back still pressed against Hannibal, facing the mirror so he could see and feel all of his dear boy. "You are mine now Will, there will be no escape from me." His hands found the same positions as before. One on Will's throat, the other stroking his cock with a single-minded purpose. He wanted to see the younger man cum, he wanted to see him fall apart in the arms of a monster and love it.

With his clothes torn away, Will could see more of the stark difference in skin tone between the two. The contrast between light and dark.. And yet, it was purely just physical. Will was a monster in his own way, cut from a slightly different cloth; not quite like other people, like other humans though his life was just as fragile. He had hidden desires and fantasies no others could dream of.

Will let out an audible groan as he watched Hannibal work his cock, watched his hand stroke up and down; catching beads of pre-cum to smooth things over. The revelation of Hannibal having been there as he killed Hobbs, a monster hidden beneath the surface, excited him beyond measure. He wondered what sort of enjoyment Hannibal derived from watching him kill a man in cold blood. God, how Will had enjoyed it. Even through the trauma of what he had done, he knew he would kill again, wanted to kill again. He wondered if a part of Hannibal had been tempted to feed on the kill..

"Fuck..!" He grasped a hold of Hannibal’s arms to keep himself steady, to keep him from falling at the mere idea, the want of killing again for this beast. His hips rolled forward with each stroke, his ass pressing firmly against Hannibal’s arousal to give him something in return. "I'm yours.." He rasped out, the tension building and building until he was sure he couldn't possibly hang on anymore. "H-Hannibal-!" Will came with a shout, hips stuttering, knees shaking with the force of his orgasm. He watched as his seed spurted from the head of his cock in thick ropes and coated Hannibal’s dark fingers before his eyes rolled back, his jaw slackened.

The beast purred with pleasure, watching its new mate succumb to pleasure. There was something dark and evil that played in Will's eyes. A decision made, something brutal and unforgiving. Hannibal wondered briefly again, if Will was a supernatural being and now that he got what he wanted from Hannibal, if he was next to be killed, if he had imprisoned himself in this creature's web of desires to be devoured next.

The stuttered giving of possession broke Hannibal from his inner dialogue and with another sharp pull saw Will cum again and again over his fingers and onto the floor. He held the other man up in his grasp before Will could fall over from both the power of his orgasm and probable lack of blood. Hannibal did not let up on the cock in his hand until well beyond the point of overstimulation, watching Will's eyes roll into the back of his head. The purr in his chest from his beast increased as he brought the soiled hand to his lips and licked the evidence of Will's pleasure from his hand, "You taste divine, my dear."

Will sagged against Hannibal, the wall of his chest solid and warm behind him, safe, in a weird sort of, not quite safe way. He wasn't sure if it made any sense, his current state of mind having been wiped nearly clean of all proper and coherent thought and replaced with a dark, pleasurable haze he didn't want to escape from.

He opened his eyes just in time to see Hannibal lick his fingers clean, the sight of it had him sighing, the sound an even mix between and groan and growl. He could still feel the hardness of Hannibal’s cock pressed against him, straining, and Will wanted to take care of him. Perhaps take him in his mouth, work him up nice and good... Worship this beast in the most base way he knew how. On his knees and gazing up at him.

"Let me take care of you." It wasn't a question, or a request really, a simple statement made as blue eyes met crimson once more in the mirror.

Hannibal's beast sung at the idea. It wanted to take everything that was freely offered in those deep blue eyes, wanted to bite again, claim again, and own the body in front of him in every way possible and it knew Will would let it. Let him fuck his mouth, fuck his body, let himself be bled dry, all for it’s pleasure.

Hannibal closed his eyes from the sight of it. He knew he had to reign in those desires, for the time being. Will could barely stand, the wound on his neck still bleeding freely and in need of tending "Not this time, little one." He wrapped his claws around Will's torso in more of an embrace than before and nuzzled into the younger man's neck, just above the open wound, eyes still closed against the temptation of Will's body. "I need to take care of this before you lose consciousness from the blood loss."

Will scoffed and rolled his head back onto Hannibal’s shoulder, settling into the embrace, eyes closing briefly. "I'm not little." Nor powerless. Hannibal would see in due time the things he was capable of. But, as much as Will wanted to try his hand at taking the reins of this evening... Morning.. Whatever the hell time it was.. He was exhausted, wonderfully spent.

He relaxed in Hannibal’s arms, his own coming up to hold the arms wrapped around him. He sighed contently, a thought crossing his mind. "Why did you choose me..?"

The contented sigh eased the beast’s carnal desire enough for Hannibal to be able to relax into the embrace. The question was one he didn’t truly have an answer for. His original interest was curiosity but there was something else that drew him to the younger man. "I did not expect you to accept my true form so early, nor see our relationship developing in this way, per say. I could never entirely predict you, my dear Will. You follow your own nature. However, I admit even I am surprised by tonight."

Hannibal nuzzled further into Will's wild curls and smelled deeply, "I saw a darkness in you, but I have seen that before many times in my lifetime. What makes you special is your unique mind with its empathy and ability to connect with and understand anyone you meet… Even monsters." Ah, Hannibal thought, so his motivation was companionship from the beginning, an equal that would understand him. The realization was sudden but not surprising. Hannibal understood loneliness beyond any human meaning of the word after all.

After a beat, Will managed to turn in Hannibal’s arms, his gaze softening as he looked upon the much older man. His skin was lightening, if a little in some places. Blood was enough to drop the person suit for a time; Will wondered how human meat would affect him. The thought sent a shiver down his spine that had nothing to do with fear. 

His features softened as he reached up and touched his fingers along the base of Hannibal’s antlers, stroking upwards and out along a branch. "You're lonely." It was obvious, painfully so and Wills empathy reached out and felt that loneliness himself. It was hard not to either, because he too was lonely. He never would have admitted it before as he was content with hiding himself away in Wolf Trap with his dogs, only venturing out when he needed to work or shop for groceries. He'd try to socialize and perhaps he has made a friend or two in his lifetime, but they've never truly understood him, couldn't acknowledge the darkness that lurked below, let alone see it or even want to.

"So much for avoiding unhealthy attachments." Will huffed out a laugh, his fingers dropping from the antlers and curling into Hannibal’s hair instead.

Will’s fingers tracing his antlers had brought a surprised gasp to Hannibal’s lips. A reaction he would normally be able to suppress but the feeling, a mix of sharp arousal and soft contentment at the touch, was impossible to smother. The words, not said in pity but with perception, and in intimate understanding and adoration. Hannibal opened his eyes to meet those of the man that now held whatever was left of his dark heart. "Mylimasis..." He sighed softly and brought their foreheads together, feeling his antlers start to retreat. He smiled contently at Will's joke, "If I saw you every day, forever, Will. I would remember this time."

Will shut his eyes as their foreheads rested against each other, a smile playing at his lips. His heart felt full, his body sated, despite the blood loss, the pain of it still there but Will reveled in it. It reminded him of the fragility of his life, reminded him that he was still alive and would continue to live, with Hannibal by his side; a beast hidden from the world except from Will. Hannibal gave him a rare gift, let Will know him, see him and Will wanted it for as long as Hannibal wanted him.  
"My Hannibal.." He pressed his lips against the other man's, humming with contentment.

Hannibal returned the sweet kiss easily, indulging in a few more before pulling back enough to speak. "Come my dear, let me tend to your wounds and you will sleep here tonight. We can speak more in the morning after you allow me to cook breakfast for you."


End file.
